Legal maneuvers and an empire in tatters leave the ownership of the once grand Manhattan skyscraper up in the air.

The owners of Midtown's Chrysler Building are fighting to hold onto the iconic Art-Deco skyscraper after falling behind on more than $21 million in rent.

The owner of the land beneath the historic Chrysler Building said Friday it was taking control of the office tower, in what would be one of the most prominent buildings in the U.S. to be lost during the office-market collapse.

A partnership led by RFR Holding has held the ground lease to the Chrysler Building for the past five years, but it stopped making rent payments after May, according to Cooper Union, the private college that owns the land at 405 Lexington Ave.

Firms that bought Manhattan landmark for $151m have struggled to make enough money after pandemic caused exodus of tenants